VEGAN BEAUTY 101
You’ve probably heard of the term or seen it on labels, but what does it really mean when your favourite beauty product is labelled vegan? Ruth Chew gives you the low-down.
You’ve probably heard of the term or seen it on labels, but what does it really mean when your favourite beauty product is labelled vegan?
With more awareness on sustainability, as well as being eco-friendly and cruelty-free, more consumers now expect these same standards to be applied in beauty products from start to finish. This has given rise to a wider range of products with a myriad of labels: clean, natural, organic. And vegan is a term that has emerged at the forefront of conscious beauty in recent times. How, then, does it differ from the other labels?
VEGAN
Vegan products contain zero animal -based or -derived ingredients and are also often not tested on animals, but that doesn’t mean they are 100 per cent crueltyfree. There are currently no global standards to register or certify vegan beauty products, but you can check if they are certified by the following agencies: Leaping Bunny, which guarantees no animal testing was carried out, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), which certifies non-animal testing and no cruelty to animals.
CLEAN
These are generally products that are free from petrochemicals, silicones, potential carcinogens, and ingredients with contaminants such as parabens, phthalates, and sulphates. They also do not contain artificial colouring or synthetic fragrances. These products can, however, include synthetic ingredients – lab-created ingredients that are re-engineered to mimic natural ones.
More often than not, to have a “clean beauty” label, products must be formulated with ingredients that are ethically sourced, sustainable and non-toxic to both your health and the environment.
NATURAL
Products can be described as natural even if they only include a 1 per cent naturally sourced or plant-based ingredient. A protip to deciphering this is to look at the ingredient list. Botanicals will be listed with their scientific (or Latin) names up front, before synthetic ingredients. A fully natural product will also have a much shorter shelf life, so be sure to check the expiry date.
ORGANIC
Similar to the natural label, products need only contain a small percentage of an organic ingredient to be labelled organic. Organic products use ingredients that are organically grown and sourced, without the use of harsh chemicals. It can be hard to tell, though, so again, check your ingredient labels for any organic certifications.
BITE BEAUTY
Launched in 2011 in Canada, Bite Beauty’s initial aim was to be as transparent as possible with its ingredients and formulation. In 2014, it was acquired by Kendo Beauty, part of the LVMH group.
Just last year, the brand relaunched its entire range to be 100 per cent vegan, with no animalderived ingredients nor by-products like lanolin, beeswax and carmine. It’s also cruelty-free. The brand has even gone a step further: It does not retail in countries that still conduct animal testing. This ruled out large markets like China that, until recently, required all beauty brands to be tested on animals prior to approval for sale.
Bite Beauty’s other USP is that it is gluten-free. This is especially important for products that are applied near to or on the lips, which may be ingested and cause an attack for those who suffer from gluten allergies. Its new range also boasts active ingredients that nurture your skin. Key ones include Wild African mango, maqui berry and passionflower extracts, as well as nourishing ingredients like jojoba seed oils, pomegranate extracts, and cocoa butter with exfoliating papaya enzymes.
A cult favourite is Daycation Whipped Blush ($50, in four shades). This pocket-sized cream blush is non-comedogenic and long-lasting, blending easily over cheeks to give a radiant flush. Simply squeeze, blend, then build up the colour intensity. Another bestseller is Power Move Creamy Matte Lip Crayon ($38, in 20 shades). Formulated with jojoba oil, shea butter, mango butter, pomegranate extract and orange peel wax, it comes off creamy and leaves a slight sheen after application. The lipstick comes in the form of a retractable pencil and allows precision application with a secret sharpener on the tip. Bite Beauty is available at Sephora.
There are currently no global standards to register or certify vegan beauty products.